Combined hay and stock rack.



No. 852.870. PATBNTED HAY'7,1907.

' B. GHELTZ.

con/113mm) 1m AND STOCK RACK.

APPLIGA'IIEON FILED P313110. 1906.

31mm lioyB. Chalk nniTRn STATES PATENT orrion.

COMBINED HAY AND STOCK RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May '7, 1907.

Application filed February 10, 1906. Serial N0 300,524.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY B. CHELTZ, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Earl Park, in the county of Benton and State of Indiana, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Combined Hay and Stock Racks, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in combined hay and stock racks.

The object of the invention is to generally simplify and improve the construction of combination racks of this character, and to provide means for securely connecting the sides of the rack with the sides of the wagon body, and means to permit of the convenient adjustment of the sides of the rack to an inclined position, and for firmly supporting the rack sides in such position.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined hay and stock rack constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the rack sides adjusted outwardly to form a hay rack; Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation on an enlarged scale showing one of the pivotal connections for the rack sides Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal section through the outer end of one of the. supporting arms and the upper edge of the rack side cooperating therewith, showing the fastening connection; Fig. 6 is a detail section, showing one of the guides for the sliding pivot rod; Fig. 7 is a vertical section through one of the sides of a wagon body, showing the means for connecting the inner end of the coacting supporting arm thereto; and Fig. 8 is a section on line 88 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a wagon body having its sides 2 suitably secured to its bottom 3 and reinforced therefrom by braces 4 fixed to transverse cleats 5 fastened to the bottom.

Arranged on the outer faces of the sides 2 at suitable intervals apart are hinge members 6 consisting of rods held and vertically movable ih guide hooks or eyes 7 fastened to the body by nuts 8, the lower end of each rod 6 being removably held in position by a cotter pin or split key 9 passing therethrough, while the upper end of the rod is formed with a knuckle or eye 10 to receive a pintle 1 1 upon the lower end of a strap 12 fastened upon the outer face of the rack side 13.

The two rack sides 13, one of which is supported upon each side 2 of the wagon body 1, are preferably constructed of parallel slats 13 connected by vertical'stays or cleats 13 in the usual manner. The lower edges of the rack sides 13 formed by the lower ends of the cleats 13 are normally supported upon the upper edges of the wagon body sides and are held in such position by the rods 6. The keys 9 are adapted to abut against the guides 7 and limit the upward movement of the rods. Fixed to the sides of the wagon body are spring plates 14 whose free ends normally bear against the outer sides of the rods 6. When the rods are adjusted upwardly to permit the rack sides 13 to be raised and supported at an outward inclination, as hereinafter described, the lower ends of the rods clear the free ends of the spring plates 14 and project thereabove, said free ends of the plates being forced by their spring action against the sides of the wagon body and under the said lower ends of the rods to act as stops, whereby the rods are supported in elevated position. hen the rack sides 13 are arranged Vertically to form a stock rack, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, they may be fastened together in any preferred mannerto hold them from outward movement, retaining rods 15 passing through the upper edges of said rack side's being preferably employed for this purpose. End gates 16 and 17 of the body and rack may be fastened in position by rods or other suitable securing means.

The use of the hinge connections between the body and rack sides permits the latter when turned to an upright position to rest firmly against the upper edges of the former, and also permits them (the rack sides) to be turned outwardly to lie at an angle or desired degree of inclination, as shown in Fig. 5., to form with the body a rack for support ing a load of hay or other similar material. To support the rack sides in such inclined position, supporting arms 18 and 19 are employed. These arms are provided at their inner ends with projecting lugs 20 to engage openings in bracket plates 21 for detachably fastening them in position, the inner ends of the respective arms being fastened to the sides of the body and extending across the body and resting upon the upper edges of said sides and projecting therebeyond be neath the rack sides 13. As shown, the arm 18 projects beyond one of the sides and is detachably connected at its inner end to the opposite side, while the arm 19 is reversely arranged and fastened in position. Each supporting arm is adapted to be secured at its outer end to the rack side by a bolt 22, which, as shown in Fig. 5, extends through the arm, through an aperture 23 in the upper slat of the rack side, and through a wear plate 24 secured to said slat, the bolt being fitted with a nut 25 to detachably secure the parts together. It will thus be seen that the supporting arms may be conveniently applied and fastened in position, and as conveniently disconnected when. their use is not required.

In order to enable the supporting bars to be projected outwardly between the upper edges of the wagon body sides 2 and the lower edges of the rack sides 3, it is apparent that the latter must be permitted to have a limited independent upward movement. This is permitted by the sliding pivot bolts 6 which are adapted to move upwardly when the sides 13 are raised to permlt the supporting bars 19 to be applied, said sides being held in adjusted position while the bars are being applied by the, action of the spring plates 14 bearing against the lower ends of the bolts 6 and holding the same from downward movement. To release the-rack sides for restoration to normal osition, the arms 18 and 19 are removed an the spring plates 14 pressed outward from the wagon body in any preferred manner, thereby allowing the bolts 6 to return to normal position as the rack sides are swung upwardly and inwardly.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of use of my combined stock and hay rack will be readily understood, and it will be seen that a construction is provided which permits of the ready adjustment of the rack sides to a vertical or inclined position and their secure retention in either osition.

Havlng thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a combinedhay and stock rack, the combination of a wagon body, rack sides pivoted to the sides of the wagon body, the pivsides and to be secured at their inner ends to the wagon body.

2. In a combined hay and stock rack, the combination of a wagon body rovided with guides upon the sides thereo hinge members slidably mounted in said guides, rack sides provided with hinge members engaging said sliding hinge members on the body, spring plates secured to the sides and nor mally bearing against the outer surfaces of the sliding hinge members and adapted when said sliding hinge members are raised to spring below the same and hold said mem bers from downward movement, and sup porting arms adapted to rest upon the sides of the vehicle body and to project at their outer ends beyond the same and beneath the rack sides when the latter are turned outwardly and to be secured at their inner ends to the wagon body.

3. In a combined hay and stock rack, the combination of a wagon body, fastening members upon the inner faces of the sides of the wagon body, guide members upon the outer faces of the sides of the wagon body, sliding hinge members engaging said guides, springs adapted to project under the sliding hinge members to hold the same in elevated position, rack sides rovided with hinge members engaging said sliding hinge members and adaptlng them to be turned to a vertical position or downwardly at an inclined position, and supporting bars adapted to rest upon the sides of the wagon body and to project beneath the out-turned rack sides, said bars being rovided at their outer ends with means for astening them to the rack sides and at their inner ends with means for connecting them with the fastening members on the inner faces of the sides of the wagon body.

In testimony whereof, I afIiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROY B. CHELTZ. Witnesses:

CI-rAs. LEISURE, Gno. ROYSTER. 

